Tarn, 


Duke  University  Libraries 

Prepare  for  bat 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #594 


•       83 


PREPARE  FOR  BATTLE. 

Soldiers !  to-morrow    we   mu  my  is 

just  at  hand.     Darkness  only 

between  proud  oppressors  and  rn,en  sworn  fodie  freemen 
rather  than  live  slave-.     Yoiy 
or  death!     Whi  lateh    set 

looks  fort  1 1  to-morrow^  let  nol  11  on  u 

man  unready  for  the  snook. 
tie!     Lot  the   fir  a  I 
ready,  "aye  ready  I  .  tin   I igl  '."     ; 

it,  tliai  hi ,  •  lb)  i  ■'-  in  ;  ■•• 

ply  of  ammunition,.      Fill  your  water  ;  for 

battle  brih  at  t  >• 

knives  ani  swords — i  shou 

distant,  formal  salut) 

deadly,   closing  stril  ao  ends   bar   victors', 

crowns  and  patriots's  graves  J  a   muscle  1 

laxed  this  night  in  re- a.  till  a' J  is  ready  for  the  fchri] 
order,    "Foritfafd ! 'fonoard  my   bra&es!"      Remember 
the  eneirfy  is  nigh,     Hew  our  movements, — 

To  guard  against  surprise,    let  ever     m  hi 
sleep  to-night,  leaning  on  his  arms,  at  I  n  the 

stern  array.     Surgeons,  be  rea- 
son to  our  wounded  ;  for  doubt  not,  many  ;i  manlj 
shall  bleed  pure  pati  ce  another  sunset ! 

Ah  I  soldiers,  prepare  f  »r  th« 

fight.     Prepare  for  all  it  But,  oh! 

pare,  prepare  far   its  great  issues'.       You   < 
the  confiiet a  noble  form,  dear  to  many   a  heart.     This 
you  hazard.    You  bes  your 


PREPARE    FOR    BATTLE, 

used y  wuntry  ami  to  loved  ones  at  home.  lThit  yoa 
hazard.  But,  ah  !  you  bear  into  that  fatal  strife  a  treas- 
ure worth  more  than  those — an  inestimable  treasure — 
an  immortal  soul  which  hereafter  must  shine  and  sing 
around  the  throne  of  God,  or  burn  and  shrink  forever 
in  hell!  Impenitent  soldier,  yon  hazard  your  smil  to- 
morrow !  What  if  the  first  bullet  from  the  enemy 
should  whistle  through  vour  heart.,  whtre,  01  where, 
would  be 'that  soul?  What  if,  mangled  by  a  cannon 
ball,  you  expire  in  the  heat  of  the  contested  day,  beneath 
trampling  steed-;,  and  amid  fierce  shouts  and  piercing 
shrieks  ami  anguished  moans,  and  the  flash  and  roar  of 
artillery — where,  when  all  that  fearful  scene  is  past, 
where  will  be  thy  soul?  Ah  !  fhourarty'st  fall  a  victor. — 
In  the  iVyut  ranks  of  the  brave  you  may  die,  the  smiles 
of  triumph  placing  on  your  dying  f&pe  and  gleaming  in 
your  closing  eyes,  arid  your  lips'  trembling  with  shouts 
of  victory.  Admiring  comrades  may  mark  the  spot 
honored  by  your  patriot  blood,  and  in  other  days,  men, 
free  and  independent,  may  raise  the  eloquent  marble, 
telling  to  pasSersrby,  "Here  fell  the  brave  soldier,  all 
covered  with  glory" — when,  oh,  my  God!  my  God! 
your  soul  may  be  in  hell! 

Soldier,  tfiere  is  a  preparation  of  the  soul  for  danger. 
To  this  i  would  warn  and  entreat  you.  "Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jeaus  Christ,  and  thou  shaft  be  saved."  Repen- 
tance toward  God  and  faith  in  Jesus  will  insure  your 
soul.  Will  you  not  prepare  for  death,  for  judgment,  for 
eternity  f  Brave  defender  of  our  country's  rights,  shall 
every  other  preparation  be  made  but  mis ?  Delay  not 
this  matter  until  the  fierce  encounter  is  begun.  The 
dread  excitements  of  battle  leave  little  room  for  penitent 
wars  and  prayers  of  trembling  trust  in  the  Saviour. — 
Now  is  your  time! 'This  nightr— this  hour — this  moment 
— fall  -nthy  knees  before  thy  God,  and  cry,  "bemereb 
rul  to  me,  a  sinner  !"     Heed   the  precious   encourage- 


MtEPARI    FOR   BATTLE. 

went,  "Kim  tliat  comoth  unto  me  I  will  in  no  0is*  east 
out."  Then  Ihall  pardoning  love  speak  peace  to  your 
heart :  all  will  be  well.  Then  shall  you  be  prepared 
indeed  for  battle.  For  the  arms  of  the  "Everlasting  shall 
be  underneath  vau,  and  his  voire  shall  support  you  for 
the  dread  strife  with  the  heavenly  cheering,  "Fear  thou 
not;  for  I  am  with  thee:  be  not  dismayed  for  I  am  thy 
God  :  I  will  strengthen  thee ;  yea,  I  will  help  thee ;  yea, 
1  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  of  my  righteous- 
ness.'" Then  no  matter  though  you  die  unknown,  and 
are  oast  with  the  undistinguished  slain  into  the  nearest 
ditch,  no  matter — no  matter — your  praying  mother  and 
wife,  your  pious  brothers  and  sisters,  who  wept  when 
you  went  to  the  war,  shall  meet  you  "on  the  other  side 
of  Jordan,  in  the  sweet  fields  of  Eden."'  where  all  is 
eternal  peace,  and  enduring  happiness  and  immortal 
glory ! 
Oli!  Soldier]  Soldier!  prepare.,  prepare  far  battle. 


:V  GLORIOUS  THING. 

While  the  battle  of  "Williamsburg  was  raging,  and 
one  of  our  Chaplains  was  standing  by  his  regiment,  en- 
couraging the  men  to  do  their  duty,  a  soldier  passed  by 
him,  and  taking  him  by  the  hand,  he  said  to  the  chap- 
lain, his  face  radiant  with  the  peace  of  God,  "It  is  a 
glorious  thing  to  be  a  Christian."  The  time,  tke  occa- 
sion and  circumstances  under  which  this  remark  was 
made,  leave  an  indelible  impression.  There  was  a  man, 
in  the  midst  of  bullets,  wearing  a  countenance  of  per- 
fect peace'  andhappines9.  How  it  illustrates  the  mighty 
power  of  divine  grace,  that  when  grace  is  most  needed, 


4  PREPARE    FOR   BATTLE. 

then  it  is  given.  How  it  encourages  us  to  hold  on  to 
the  integrity  of  our  Christian  profession/ 

The  remark  was  made  by  one  who  could  understand 
what  a  glorious  thing  it  wag  to  be  a  Christian, 
time  will  come  when  all  of  us  wdll  have  nothing  else  to 
comfort  us. but  the  religion  of  Christ.  Without  it  wo' 
shall  goto  another  world,  poor  miserable  cdfct-awrfys, 
having  no  hap]-  .  peace  forever.     Who  car.  look 

forward  to  such  a  doom  wiifloiit  consternation?  gut 
with  the  religion  of  Christ  a*  our  stay,  we  can  meet  with 
composure  all  trials  and  difficulties  of  life  ;  and  when 
we  depart  this  life,  can  look-  tip  with  certainty  lo  the 
house  not  made  with  hands?,  a  mansion  prepared  for  us 
by  Qferist,  where  fullness  of  blessing  will  .be  our  portion 
f  >reverni.'.vi  . 

May  we  not  hope  that  the  cxpenenoe  of  this  Chris- 
tian soldier  will  encourage  .all  our  readers  to  seek  first 
the  kingdom  of  God.  We  know  the  devil  has  no  tnore 
powerful  temptation,  with  the  young  especially,  than  to 
delude  them  with  the  belief  that  religion  is  a  thing  of 
gloom,  interfering  with  happinoss.  But  those  who  ha^  e 
experienced  it  know  better;  and-  the  testimony  of  all 
who  have  made  full  triad  of  it  is  she  same  as  that  of  our 
soldier — "it  'is  a  glorious,  thing  to.be  a  Christian." 


Hoilinger  Corp. 
PH8.5 


